advertisement
Music News

Mitski Writing Music For Broadway Stage Musical Adaptation of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’

The book for the theatrical version of the hit Netflix series will be written by Eboni Booth.

Mitski

Mitski

Ebru Yildiz

Mitski is headed to Broadway. According to Deadline, the Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter is attached to write the music and lyrics for a stage musical adaptation of The Queen’s Gambit, the 2020 hit Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as fictional 1960s chess prodigy Beth Harmon.

The series, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis about the chess whiz who struggles with drug and alcohol use, will be re-imagined for the stage by playwright Eboni Booth (Primary Trust), with Obie Award-winner Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding) signed on to direct.


“Before [producers] Level Forward even brought the idea of making a musical of The Queen’s Gambit, I was a fan of the Netflix show, and an even greater fan of the original novel,” Mitski said in a statement. “So I was already determined to be a member of this team. And then I met Eboni and Whitney, and my determination grew tenfold! I absolutely had to be a part of this! I am ecstatic to get to work with all of these amazing creatives, who’ve each built beautiful and unique repertoires of their own.”

advertisement

In addition to seven studio albums — including this year’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We — Mitski co-wrote “This Is a Life” for the Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once, which scored an Oscar nomination for best original song.

The Queen’s Gambit connects us all in the universal pursuit of becoming the person we are meant to be,” the show’s producers said in a joint statement. “Part of our journey is to bring this beloved story to the musical stage, and provide three revelatory artists – Mitski, Eboni Booth, and Whitney White, all at the top of their craft – with a chance to share the captivating world of Beth Harmon with live audiences.”

advertisement

At press time casting and a timetable for the show’s opening had not yet been announced.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

advertisement
Executive of the Week: Justin West of Secret City Records on the Secrets of Independent Music Success​
FYI

Executive of the Week: Justin West of Secret City Records on the Secrets of Independent Music Success​

The man behind one of Canada's most successful indie labels talks about the late-blooming success of French-language streaming record-holder Patrick Watson, why he builds long-term relationships with artists, and why it's important for the indie sector to work together.

Justin West is a leader and advocate in Canada’s independent music scene, but he didn’t plan it out that way. When he started his record label Secret City Records in Montreal in the mid-2000s, it was out of necessity. He had met an artist he loved and wanted to build a career with, and the label was a means to do it. That artist was Patrick Watson, and 20 years later he — and Secret City — are more successful than ever.

West — a multiple time Billboard Canada Power Player – leads one of the biggest indie labels in Canada while also advocating for the sector on multiple boards both locally and internationally. When we speak to him for this Executive of the Week interview, he’s just returned from Banff for the National Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Culture, and is a central figure in discussions around the Online Streaming Act and collective negotiations with online streaming platforms.

keep readingShow less
advertisement